In Vysočany, a new district for 40,000 residents is being developed

Prague - In Prague's Vysočany, a new district for 40,000 residents is rising on an area of 250 hectares. The joint project named New Vysočany was presented today by the developers involved in the construction. The area, which is being developed near the Kolbenova metro station, will also retain part of the original industrial buildings, such as the functionalist villa of architect František Alberta Libra or some production halls.
    The developers are not worried that the project could not be completed due to the financial crisis. "We have no doubt that there will be great interest among those seeking new housing," said Pavel Weishaupt from Codeco. This has been demonstrated, according to him, by the company Finep, which has already completed and sold about 1,400 apartments in its project New Harfa.
    The former industrial area will be transformed into residential development with administrative buildings. There are also plans for civic amenities and recreational areas around the Rokytka stream. The dominant feature of the New Vysočan area is expected to be the Kolben Tower, approximately 85 meters tall, which should open in 2012.
    Some industrial buildings will be demolished, while some will remain and be transformed. "From the beginning, we want to preserve the historical trace there," Weishaupt stated. He added that some buildings had to be demolished because they were in poor technical condition, had no historical value, or were ecologically burdened by previous production.
    "In terms of its size, this district is comparable to several district towns," Weishaupt noted. According to him, the new construction will take place over the next ten to 15 years and will represent an investment of around 70 billion to 80 billion crowns.
    The planned transformation of Vysočany is being compared by developers to the changes that took place in the past in Prague's Smíchov, where a modern district emerged. According to architect Zdeněk Lukeš, unlike Smíchov, more industrial buildings should be preserved, as the construction in Vysočany is not as dense, allowing space for new buildings.
    The project is being developed by the companies Codeco, Finep, Imos Development, and CPI Group, which have established an association and are also communicating with Prague 9, where the area is located. "It is our common interest that Vysočany becomes an attractive urban district," noted the mayor of Prague 9, Jan Jarolím (ODS). Developers BCD Group, AFI Europe Czech Republic, and Ablon are also participating in the development of the area.
    The area bounded by Kolbenova, Freyova, Poděbradská, and Kbelská streets is also included in the upcoming urban plan, which plans it as a development area.
    The Vysočany area became an industrial center at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. The most important Vysočany factories included, among others, the Českomoravská machine factory, the Kolben electrical engineering factory, and the factory of the company Breitfeld-Daněk, which later merged into ČKD, as well as Avia Aero, Praga, and the Odkolek bakery.